There are few products on the market that turn users into fanatics - think anything Apple - but the people who use the Magic Bullet might as well be getting paid commissions to push it.
Stand in the appliance section of Macy's, like I did a few weeks ago, and just pick up a Magic Bullet box. Then wait for the Bulletheads to rush over and tell you how much they love it. And I'm not talking your typical they'll-buy-any-piece-of-crap-as-long-as-it's-on-TV QVC shopper. When my tester arrived in a marked box, a very attractive, well-dressed older woman who got out of a Jag told me she loves hers so much, she's bought one for everyone she knows. Not a high-end Cuisinart. A $99 infomercial blender. Is this thing pureeing people's brains?
The concept behind the Bullet is simple: you measure, bled, serve and store whatever you've made all in one container. Perfect for a guy making a protein shake for one, frozen margaritas for two, or a batch of salsa for a tailgate, with minimal cleanup. And the less I have to clean, the happier I am.
The main bullet piece, a sleek, black and stainless blender bottom, has a motor 40% more powerful than the previous version. But no blades. Those are
separate. One for blending, and one for grinding, that screw onto the top of the included mugs, pitcher and cups after you load them with ingredients. Then you flip it over, press it into the Bullet and it blends, chops, slices, dices, mixes, whips and purees in seconds. It doesn't get any simpler than that. No wasting time deciding whether you should blend, liquefy or frappe. (And if anyone knows the difference, please, enlighten us.) If there's any left over you screw on one of the storage tops, and put it in the fridge.
I tested mine on how it crushed ice, ground coffee beans, and how it handled various other hard and soft foods. And it handled them all surprisingly well. One of the biggest problems I have with my regular blender is that it never blends ice well. The Magic Bullet crushed the ice down no problem. Which makes for smoothies that are actually smooth. And when a girl wants a frozen strawberry daiquiri, I don't want her getting big chunks of ice and whining about it to me. It ruins the mood. Plus if another girl wants a frozen margarita, you can whip that up instantly, without having to stop to clean the pitcher.
Did it make me a believer? I'm not buying one for everyone I know, but I'll probably recommend it to someone looking at the box in Macy's. And my other blender is on Craig's List.
$99 - Magic Bullet Platinum Pro
www.magicbulletplatinumpro.com